


You Can Do This

by sixlettrsodapop



Category: The Following
Genre: Drabble Collection, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-12
Updated: 2013-12-11
Packaged: 2018-01-04 10:04:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1079673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sixlettrsodapop/pseuds/sixlettrsodapop
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of drabbles I've written for Towells.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Jacob can’t admit it, doesn’t want to admit it; not to himself and definitely not to Paul. He needs to figure it out on his own, but he knows he loves Paul. Maybe even more than he loves Emma; Paul’s been with him for three years, Paul knows everything about him, and Paul’s currently on the bed with him, gentle hands sliding up the insides of his thighs to his knees and back down, wrapping around the backs of his legs and pushing them apart. All with the gentle press of fingers into his skin, muscles.

They’ve been here a while and there’s sweat sliding off his skin, pooling in the dips of his ribs and whenever he moves, it slides down and makes the bed sheets even more damp. Paul kisses his way up, nips at the skin stretched over Jacob’s hips that makes him moan and drags a smile from Paul. Paul’s always slow-going, not wanting to hurt Jacob and he presses his mouth to Jacob’s neck as he presses in, hands wrapped around his hips and Jacob locks his ankles together, knees pressing into Paul’s sides and they moan in sync when he stops moving.

Paul knows him, knows exactly what to do to have him arching, moaning, letting go under his mouth, hands, and the rough movement of his hips and after he comes and falls onto the bed, he wrenches his eyes open and watches Paul. Watches as he shifts his weight to one arm and the other hand creeps over his shoulder and pushes softly into his throat, pushes harder when Jacob swallows hard and just holds when he gasps and then Paul’s following him over the edge, groaning.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: major character death.

Weeks. It’s been weeks and Paul should be healed, but he’s not. He’s just getting worse and Jacob’s bit his nails down, something he’s never done before now. Paul’s still lying on the couch, thin blanket covering him and Jacob can see him shivering from his place in the doorway, but if they put anything heavier on him, his fever spikes. Jacob’s not dumb, knows Paul’s stab wounds are infected because he’s been changing the bandages and had spent nearly an hour dry heaving after cleaning them the last time.

“I know you’re watching me again.”

Jacob makes his way to Paul and sits on the edge of the couch, fingers picking at the edge of the blanket and Paul stops him with fingers on his wrist.

“I won’t do it. I can’t.”

“I know you can. It’s easy.”

Jacob catches Paul’s eyes and they’re glassy, sad, tired and he hates that, hates seeing Paul give up because he’s going to get better. Jacob knows he will. Paul’s never left him before and he knows he wouldn’t start now, but Paul’s weak and Jacob can feel the weak fluttering of his heart against his wrist. Knows Paul’s going to go away soon and would rather choose how he leaves than let something unknown drag him away.

~

They wait until night so Jacob’s parents can’t stop them and the knife is heavy in his hand, blade glinting when the moonlight bounces off of it. Paul’s awake, propped up on his pillows and he lets Jacob climb behind him on the couch, only wincing when he gets jostled. He leans heavy against Jacob’s chest and he’s pouring off heat; it’s seeping through Jacob’s thin shirt and he shivers even though he’s not cold. Paul takes the knife and presses the tip between two of his ribs; a tiny drop of blood pools and runs down from the metal and Jacob watches it until Paul huffs. He doesn’t know if it was meant in annoyance or laughter, but Jacob wraps his hand around Paul’s, links their fingers together around the handle. Paul’s curls are brushing against his neck and he can’t help smiling, even as the blade slips further into Paul’s chest. This shouldn’t feel normal, okay like it does as Paul gasps and the blood flows out, stains their skin and Jacob can feel his heart slow down, can smell blood as it mixes with sweat in the air.

“I love you.”

“You’re the only person I trust.”

Jacob turns his face into the top of Paul’s head, lets the tears fall and the knife slips the rest of the way in. He can feel the slow comedown of Paul’s heart and doesn’t let himself start crying until the beats stop completely. It’s a slow process, untangling himself from Paul and he starts by unwinding their hands, pulling the knife out as he does and dropping it on the floor. He starts to slide out from behind the body because it’s not Paul, not anymore and climbs to his feet. His brain is agonizingly slow, blinking down at his hands and there’s a streak across the bloody one from wiping his eyes, but he doesn’t remember doing it. He starts towards his room with slow steps, focusing on what he’s just done, on the blood on his hands. He doesn’t remember getting to his room, climbing in his bed, or falling asleep; the next conscious moment he has is waking up to his mom’s scream and seeing bloody sheets.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompt: first time jacob initiated physical contact.

Jacob’s sitting on the couch with his legs crossed, wine glass in one hand and DVD player remote in the other. Paul stares at the screen of his laptop, fingers tapping at the keys; he’s been working on this one commission all day and he’s nearly done. It’s just that damn munchkin song is stuck in his head and has melted his brain until he keeps sneaking peeks at the TV. Jacob had claimed he was watching Wizard of Oz just to make sure he could show it to his students, but Paul suspects he just likes the movie and wanted an excuse to watch it. He forces his eyes away from the TV and to his laptop, sighing when Jacob laughs and pushes himself up, walking to the couch and leaning against the back. Jacob tilts his head back, smiling with bright eyes and Paul can’t help grinning back, walking around the couch and falling down next to Jacob.

Jacob turns his attention back to the TV, taking a drink of his wine and moving closer until his thigh is flush with Paul’s. Paul tenses, glancing down at their legs, but relaxes when Jacob doesn’t do anything else, letting his arm drape across Jacob’s shoulders. Slowly, Jacob slides down until he’s curled into Paul’s side, head on Paul’s shoulder and Paul rests his head against Jacob’s, focused more on Jacob’s steady breathing than the movie. When the credits start rolling, Jacob fumbles with the remote, turning the movie off and dislodging himself from where he’s cuddled up to Paul. Paul’s stomach drops and he winces, waiting for Jacob to realize what was happening and storm off like he usually does; he stops breathing when Jacob leans in and presses a feather-light kiss to his mouth before walking to his room, glass abandoned on the table. Paul can’t stop himself from pressing fingers to his mouth and looking at the closed door of Jacob’s room, wondering when it changed between them.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompt: running in to one of jacob's students.

Jacob had abandoned his jacket back at the car, freckles dotting his arms and he’s beckoning to Paul with a grin, sun shining off his hair.

“This is dumb.”

“I know. You’ve said that a lot.” Jacob tugs his shirt off, lets it fall onto the beach towel and cover their lunch and Paul sighs, tugging his shirt off too.

Jacob backs up until the water is lapping at his ankles and Paul follows him, letting Jacob wrap hands around his wrists and pull him in deeper until there’s water at their waists. It’s a shock, the cool of the water compared to the sun beating on their shoulders and Jacob laughs, pressing a kiss to Paul’s cheek.

“Mr. Wilson?”

The laugh cuts off and Jacob turns around, fingers digging into Paul’s wrist until he winces. A blush spreads over his cheeks and bleeds down his neck slightly and Paul presses his free hand into the small of Jacob’s back.

“Hi Thomas. It’s nice to see you.” Paul rubs his thumb up Jacob’s spine and Jacob leans back slightly, his shoulders bumping into Paul’s chest.

Thomas blinks up at Jacob, eyes straining against the sun and then he glances over at Paul watching over Jacob’s shoulder. “Who’s that?”

“Uh…” Jacob trails off and catches Paul’s eye, biting at his lower lip; Paul gives him the smallest nod. “This is my boyfriend, Billy.”

“Oh. That’s nice.” Thomas waves, water flying off his hand and landing in sparkling drops on Jacob’s chest before bounding off to his family.

“This was a mistake.” Paul swallows and Jacob exhales loudly, spinning and pressing another kiss to Paul’s cheek.

“No, it’s fine. We need to do this. Make it real, right?”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they meet in the afterlife.

He barely registers the pain when Emma slits his throat; it’s more shock than anything. He can feel the blood slide down his neck and soak into his shirt, possibly his coat. It climbs up his throat and pours from his mouth and the last thing he remembers is the gentle smear of blood across his lips and chin as Emma touches him. Then bright white and nothingness and he was never one to believe in an afterlife. There was death and nothing else; you die and people mourn and then you’re put in the ground and worms eat your body and you’re forgotten because you didn’t matter. And that was what he wanted. To be nothing because he was nothing.

It’s surprise he feels when he opens his eyes and strokes his hand up cotton sheets because he knows he’s dead. There’s a hand brushing against his side and he can’t help rolling towards the warmth because he’s cold; his fingers slide under the shirt of the person next to him and he shudders out a breath when he feels smooth skin instead of jagged cuts like he should and the other body shivers, but doesn’t move his hands, just lets out a short chuckle and Jacob knows that chuckle like he does this chest. It takes him a moment, but he tilts his head back and catches Paul’s eyes, Paul who’s smiling at him with warmth and Jacob’s breath stops because he’s hallucinating, he has to be because he doesn’t believe in the afterlife, in this.

“Took you long enough to get here. I’ve been waiting.”


End file.
